An Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a rugged, imposing flock guardian of ancient lineage. Protective and territorial, but also intelligent, patient, and profoundly loyal, these muscular avengers are prized as working guard dogs without equal. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog stands between 27 and 29 inches at the shoulder and can weigh as much as 150 pounds. Profusely muscled but nimble afoot, Anatolians are more than a match for the predators and harsh terrain of their homeland. Anatolians descend from some of the oldest known domestic-canine bloodlines. This lends the breed a sense of timelessness, a no-frills, untouched quality that takes us back 6,000 years to the Bronze Age. Anatolians are smart, devoted, responsive, and adaptable. They will protect their flock’¿livestock, children, smaller dogs, even the family cat’¿with intensity. Anatolian owners must be strong leaders, willing and able to handle a dog as dominating and demanding as he is calm and loving.
History
Anatolia, or Asia Minor, is the peninsula that constitutes the Asian portion of Turkey. It was at this crossroads of early civilization that sheep and goat herders developed a livestock guardian known as the Coban Kopegi (“shepherd’s dog”), forerunner of today’s Anatolian Shepherd.
The central region of Anatolia is a high plateau of endless plains and rolling hills. Summers are dry and brutally hot, and the winters are snowy, with sub-zero temperatures. In this harsh, unforgiving crucible the Anatolian Shepherd forged his longstanding reputation as the flock guardian supreme.
Ancient artifacts going back to the days of the Babylonian Empire document the breed’s ancestors. Assyrian bas-relief carvings housed in the British Museum, dating to 2000 b.c., depict large dogs of recognizable Anatolian Shepherd type. The earliest books of the Bible refer to shepherds whose dogs were most likely some local variation of the Anatolian.
The breed’s history in America begins in the years immediately preceding World War II, when the Department of Agriculture imported a breeding pair from Turkey to participate in the top-secret “Sheepdog Project.” The program’s objective was to determine which breeds would be best suited for work on American sheep pastures. With the outbreak of war, the project was disbanded and the Anatolians and their offspring were dispersed.
American ranchers began importing Anatolians in the postwar 1950s, but the breed really took hold in this country in the 1970s. The credit for firmly establishing the breed in America goes to Lieutenant Robert Ballard, U.S. Navy, who acquired a pair of Anatolians while stationed in Turkey. He brought them home to America and bred his first littler in 1970, providing foundation stock for U.S. breeders.
This new breeding activity coincided with the passage of the Endangered Species Act. The new law required that ranchers control the population of predatory wolves without killing them. Anatolian Shepherds, who would rather intimidate predators than fight them, were perfectly suited for the job. Many Anatolian Shepherds are still working ranch dogs today, protecting everything from sheep and goats to ostriches and llamas.
Quick Facts
Temperament: reserved / independent / loyal
Height: 27 to 29 inches
Weight: 80 to 150 pounds
Life Expectancy: 11-13 years
Working Group
Health
The Anatolian is overall a healthy and hardy breed. Hip dysplasia is not common in Anatolians, nor is bloat, a life-threatening twisting and inversion of the stomach. Owners should know the symptoms of bloat, however, so as to act quickly should it occur. The breed can be sensitive to anesthesia, and owners should ensure that their vet is aware of this before any procedures. Good breeders will screen for entropion, in which the eyelids invert, which can be surgically corrected. An Anatolian’s ears should be checked regularly for any signs of infection, and the dog’s teeth should be brushed frequently.
